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Victoria City Council held an public hearing on June 26 into an application to build a small townhouse development on four adjoining properties on Richardson Road. The application involved zoning amendments and a Development Permit to proceed.

The proposal was for a total of 16 dwelling spaces, grouped in four buildings. Two buildings would face Richardson, and each of the other two would face a central courtyard behind the street-side structures. All units will be 2 floors plus a basement, and have 2 bedrooms and underground parking.

Image Credit Richardson Rezoning Application

One complicating factor for the application was that one of the lots was the site of a beautiful home designed by noted architect Samuel McClure. If you peer very intently into the photo to the right, you may just be able to pick out part of the old structure. It’s been in use as a boarding house, but as you can see, it’s pretty well overgrown and it hasn’t been property maintained by a previous owner or owners for some time. Given its large size and poor condition, moving it to another site was simply not an option.

To allow the development to proceed would result in the loss of this McClure designed building. The home perhaps ought to have been designated ‘heritage’, but it had been overlooked. Had there been one, then the result of this application may have been different, but in the circumstances, it wouldn’t have been fair to subject the developer to the heritage designation process, or to make it bear the costs of reconstruction - particularly since it was previous owners, not the developer, who had neglected to maintain the building.

The developer’s proposal had been placed before the Fairfield Community Association three times, and Council minutes reflect that it was favorably received each time. Reasonably priced family housing is in short supply in this area.

All in all, Victoria Council concluded the zoning approval should be approved. Approval of the Development Permit will follow in due course, pending registration in Land Titles of a covenant covering certain terms to which the development will be subject.

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